Vatican II: How a modernising Pope brought change for millions of Catholics

In a surprise announcement in 1959, Pope John XXIII called all the world’s Catholic bishops and cardinals to Rome to discuss modernising the Church.

The discussions led to major changes in Catholicism, from allowing priests to say Mass in languages other than Latin, to the recognition of other faiths.

But not everyone welcomed the reforms.

Msgr John Strynkowski was a student priest in Rome at the time of the ecumenical council, which became known as Vatican II.

He remembers the excitement and controversy surrounding the discussions.

Witness: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.